Stark splitting of a three-level atom in circularly polarized light

Abstract

In this paper, we study Stark splitting of a three-level atom in a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave. We calculate energies of splitting levels. Under some special tuning ways and approximation conditions, these energies have simpler forms and display the following general picture of Stark splitting: the levels of a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$- or V-type atom are split into six sublevels, while that of a $\ensuremath{\Sigma}$-type atom is split into nine sublevels. We discuss also the occupation probabilities of splitting levels; they are dependent on initial condition. Under the same tuning ways and approximation conditions, some of them may become zero. Therefore under different initial conditions, practical pictures of Stark splitting are not the same. For example, if the atom is initially in its state 1, the practical picture of Stark splitting is the following: the levels of a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$- or V-type atom are split into four sublevels; that of a $\ensuremath{\Sigma}$-type atom is split into six sublevels. If the atom is initially in its state 2, the practical picture of Stark splitting is the following: the levels of a $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$- or V-type atom are split into five sublevels, while that of a $\ensuremath{\Sigma}$-type atom is split into eight sublevels.